


The Prologue

by Bloody_Willamina



Series: Storybrooke Saga's [1]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, Fix-It, Original Character(s)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-11
Updated: 2021-03-10
Packaged: 2021-03-17 15:28:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,028
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29968473
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bloody_Willamina/pseuds/Bloody_Willamina
Summary: With the Dark Curse weakening, an end is in sight. Will Emma be able to break it? And if she does, what comes next?
Relationships: Belle/Rumplestiltskin | Mr. Gold, Prince Charming | David Nolan/Snow White | Mary Margaret Blanchard
Series: Storybrooke Saga's [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2204211





	The Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Episode Tag: "The Stranger" ; Flashbacks will be in italics.
> 
> This is a Collab story. Some friends and I love this show, however, there were a few instances that raised a lot of questions, confused us, or downright irritated us. This originally started as a season 4-Fix It story, but soon turned into more. There were only a few things that we wanted to change or address in season 1 of the show, which is why this will only be a 3 chapter prologue.
> 
> We do intend to stick close to Canon for the shows first 3 seasons, but there are going to be some changes in season 2 (As it is currently in the brainstorming section of our story. But hopefully not big enough to change the story into a crazy direction. That's going to be happening around season 4, to the best of our knowledge.)
> 
> I have started Chapter 2, so please be patient. And enjoy!

_Code Red. Code Red, Emma. It's about Operation Cobra! Meet me at Granny's._

  
Turned out, it was just about a new story being added to the book. Pinocchio. Emma had remembered that story, and she wondered if Henry was simply using the story of Pinocchio because he was feeling guilty over lying to someone. She thought she was beginning to get through to her son, now that she was using his imagination to communicate. Archie had given her that advice, and while she still believed Henry needed more help then she or Archie were giving him; she'd never felt closer to Henry. Ever since she saw how Regina had been treating Henry, ever since being threatened by her numerous times, she had been working towards gaining custody over Henry. Slow and steady had been her way, as she wanted to get custody the right way, with as little damage to Henry as possible.

  
However, the final straw had been when Regina had tried to frame Mary Margaret for a murder that never even happened. For the first time in her life she had a singular purpose in her life, to rescue Henry from that witch. She had a set back when Gold had denied her in his infuriatingly polite and condescending way. Which suspiciously had sounded like a 'Piss off' to her. Emma had someone else to turn to, and she could only hope that he wouldn't turn her down. She had been driving since Gold dismissed her, and the sign for Granny's Inn was just up ahead. The yellow bug pulled off to the side of the road, and once she had parked, she turned off the engine, and stepped out of her car. Pocketing her keys, she made her way into the quaint bed and breakfast inn.

  
She gave a small wave and smile at Ruby who was at the front desk. She looked bored, rolling her eyes though had perked up at the sight of Emma. They exchanged some pleasantries, before she took to the stairs and made her way to his room #2. She began banging on the door, and barged in as soon as August had opened the door.

  
"Emma?" Had been his confused reaction.

  
"Hey."

  
He had noticed her nervous energy right off the bat. "Take it easy. Is everything okay?"

  
She was shaking her head. "No. And I am just about out of options."

  
"Just about?"

  
"You told me to beat Regina, I need to see the big picture." Emma needed this. Needed answers, needed someone to help her take down Regina so she could protect Henry and give him the mother he deserved. Her eyes searched his and she stepped closer to him. "Show it to me."

  
A grin spread across August's face and he turned around to grab his jacket off the bed, then grabbed his helmet and a spare. Emma took the offered spare helmet.

  
"Follow me."

  
Together, they walked down the stairs, and Ruby glanced up from the desk as they passed by.

  
"Another date?" She asked cheekily.

  
"Something like that." August spoke, but it was Emma who needled him slightly.

  
"He wishes." Despite the dire circumstances, and things heating up with her battle with Regina and her need to save Henry, she liked the brief moment of levity between the three of them. It kept her grounded in what she needed to do and it did give her the sense of belonging to the small town that she had never had anywhere before. Emma wasn't sure if she'd be able to stay at Storybrooke if she won custody of Henry; she was sure Regina wouldn't take it laying down. She had no idea what Regina was capable of, but if she could frame an innocent woman, and get away with it, Emma had to consider the real possibility of moving away from the only home Henry ever knew, just to keep him safe. These were all things she knew she didn't have to face right away, but they were still concerns that she couldn't stop thinking about.

  
August grinned at Emma. "A wish...if only we had some fairy dust." He tilted his head in Ruby's direction, before winking at her. She smiled broadly back at him.

  
They soon said their goodbyes to Ruby and left the Bed and Breakfast. Walking over to where his motorcycle was parked they both put on their helmets.

  
She gestured towards his bike. "You going to tell me where we're going and how it's going to help me beat Regina?"

  
August swung his leg over, and waited until Emma climbed on behind him. "We're going on a trip out of Storybrooke, Emma. So I can tell you somebody's story."

  
"Whose story?" She grabbed around his waist.

  
"Mine." Turning on the engine, he pulled away from the Inn and they drove towards the main road of Storybrooke.

* * *

_Darkness loomed in the distance as the curse approached. A swirling vortex of emerald mist and lightning strikes filled the Blue Fairy's scared eyes. Her wings fluttered and she turned hard, flying as quickly as she could back to the castle. The screams of Snow in labor filled the castle walls and Blue knew she needed to talk with Geppetto, right away. The window where Geppetto and Pinocchio were working on the wardrobe had been cracked open, and she slipped inside it easily. The Enchanted tree had been broken down and made to look like an ornate closet. Two small doors on hinges were in the front of the bark, with black edgings. Despite the short time they had to build it, it was still a work of art, and Blue was struck that she was going to miss seeing his wood work while they were all cursed._

  
_With a regrettable tone, she interrupted the pairs work. "Circumstances have changed."_

  
_Geppetto had been crouched beside Pinocchio as they were checking to make sure the doors were secured on their hinges, and putting the final touches to the wardrobe. Jiminy was perched up on one of the curves, that had originally gone out into a tree branch, but had stopped watching them work when Blue came flying in. Geppetto slowly stood up to gaze at the fairy. "What do you mean changed?"_

  
_"Snow White is going to give birth early. The savior will be born at any moment." She gave a mournful look to Geppetto's son. "Pinocchio can't go. Snow White must accompany her daughter or all will be lost. She must be protected. This is a land with no magic. She will need someone to guide her. Someone to make her believe in her destiny. Who better than her mother?"_

  
_Geppetto was blinded by the love he had for his son and he frowned. "But we had a deal."_

  
_Blue sighed. "There is no time to argue. The curse is almost upon us, and I must return to the fairies to make final preparations. It is vital that you tell Snow White what I just told you. Her child is our only hope. She's the only one who can save us."_

  
_"And my boy." Geppetto's voice took on an edge of desperation. "What will happen to him?"_

  
_Blue didn't look away from Geppetto, but she suspected the same as him that Pinocchio was not going to survive. And unfortunately, she couldn't quite keep that fear out of her voice. "All we can do is have faith that one day the savior will restore all that we have lost." She gave one final look to Pinocchio believing it may be for the last time. Turning away, she flew back the way she came to be with her fellow fairies before the curse engulfed them._

  
_Geppetto closed his eyes, unable to process waking up from a twenty eight year nightmare with the knowledge that his boy was indeed gone._

  
_"Shall we tell Snow White?" Pinocchio's quiet voice finally asked._

  
_"No." Geppetto spun around to face his son. "Get in the wardrobe my boy."_

  
_Jiminy came flitting down off his perch. "Geppetto, you can't. Things have changed. The savior needs her mother."_

  
_"No, she needs someone to protect her. To make her believe in her destiny. My boy, he can do that."_

  
_Jiminy shook his head. "He's just a boy, you can't expect to burden him like that."_

  
_"I don't understand, father, she said..."_

  
_"I don't care what she said." Geppetto had interrupted his son and had ignored Jiminy. "All that matters is you are safe."_

  
_Pinocchio still didn't understand. "But you told me to be honest, father. You told me not to lie."_

  
_Geppetto squatted down, getting eye level with Pinocchio, as a hand easily landed on his shoulder. "Sometimes, we have to lie to protect the people we love. You must look out for the child in this new land. You must protect her."_

  
_Pinocchio's voice cracked, "I don't want to go. I don't want to leave you." He raised his arms up, still very much a little boy and hugged his father. Geppetto closed his arms around his boy, but kept his tears at bay. Pinocchio needed him to be brave and he let go of him, sniffling to keep from crying._

  
_"Pinocchio, you must remember what the blue fairy said. In twenty eight years, you must make sure the savior believes. Promise you'll do that. That is the only way we'll see each other again."_

  
_"I promise."_

  
_"Good, good. Here." Geppetto had guided Pinocchio over to the entrance of the wardrobe and had taken off his red hat and satchel._

  
_Knowing there was no talking Geppetto out of something once his mind was made up, Jiminy came down to hover in front of the boy. There was no time to even try to talk Geppetto out of it. With the curse nearly there, all he could really do was give him some parting advice. "There will be many temptations in this new world Pinocchio. But as long as you remain brave, truthful, and unselfish, you will not fail."_

  
_"Here." Geppetto opened the door. "Here, here." He had helped his son crawl inside and the sight of his son about to travel to another world without him broke his heart. There was a very real possibility that he would never again see his boy, and he almost broke down. "You'll find me again." He said as much for his benefit as for his sons. "And on that day, I will look at you with pride." That was when the tears started pouring down Pinocchio's freckled cheeks and Geppetto felt his own tears welling up in his eyes. "You'll be a great man, my son."_

  
_He put Pinocchio's hat back on his head and leaned in for a last hug, his embrace was tight and he had to have faith that he would get to hug his adult son once the curse was broken. A few tears slipped down his face at last, and he kissed the side of his boy's forehead. He cried right along with his son, unwilling to say goodbye, and finally closed the doors._

  
_Pinocchio felt a rumbling and he instinctually closed his eyes, fear and sadness filling him up. There was a strange vibration, and his hair stood up on the back of his nape, when he felt a jolt of what he'd later come to realize was magic explode in the air around him. This was followed up by a loud crack as wood splintered and crashed outward in a wave of destruction. He had jumped and wrapped his arms around his legs, scared of what would face him once he opened his eyes. He shivered, but peeked his eyes open, calmed by the familiar sight of a forest. With slow, shaky movements, he crawled out of the tree trunk, disheartened that he was alone in the forest; foolishly hoping it wouldn't work and that the face of his father would still be there, with arms open wide with all the comfort he already missed. His eyes surveyed the tree's around him and the grass, but it was different to the woodlands in the Enchanted Forest. A deafening noise sounded overhead, and he glanced up to see some large contraption that he couldn't even describe flying overhead. Fear gripped him and he ran back to the tree, to safety, to his father. A blinding flash of light struck him and he went flying backwards, skidding across the grass and promptly passed out._

  
_The voice of his father entered his head, and all he could hear where his last words, asking him to make a promise, to keep his promise. The face of his father came into his minds eye, teary eyed, but strong and comforting all the same. "I promise, papa. I promise." He muttered, shaking his head as the fog cleared and he woke back up in the strange land. A land he never wanted to go to in the first place._

  
_Another rumble filled the air and vibrated underneath his prone form. He was quick to get back to his feet when magic came flying from the tree, shooting out and he gasped and followed it with his eyes as it shot through him and rushed towards the horizon. It was a transparent glow of yellow, white and red, but the sounds of a baby crying had drawn his focus. Laying in the tree trunk where he had just been was a baby swaddled in a white knitted blanket, with Emma embroidered in purple yarn. Gingerly, he picked her up and cradled her in his arms, shushing her quietly. "It'll be okay Emma. I promise."_

* * *

August had barely turned off his motorcycle and gotten off it, before Emma had started to interrogate him.

  
"What the hell is this?" She gazed around at the diner a few miles south of Storybrooke.

  
"Last I checked, it was a diner."

  
Emma shook her head, not buying it for a second. "No more screwing around. I am not a character in one of your books. What the hell are we doing here?"

  
August squinted his eyes and gave her an assessing look. "I think you know." He fished the newspaper clipping out of his inside pocket of his leather jacket. Presenting it to Emma, he continued. "You've been here before. This is the diner you were brought to when you were found as a baby."

  
Her eyes scanned the clipping, before she shrugged. "So you found an article about me. So what? I thought this trip was suppose to be about you. About some big picture to beat Regina."

  
"It is. This is my story." He folded the paper back up and placed it safely back in his pocket. "And it's your story. You need to know where you've been before you can take on Regina."

  
Emma crossed her arms, "Alright wise guy. Explain this all to me."

  
"That seven year old boy who found you, that was me."

  
Disbelief immediately filled her eyes, as she stared at him, waiting for him to tell her more.

* * *

_Midday had arrived in the stuffy group home and Pinocchio drug his feet. It was yet another day, where he watched in fear for the Dark haired adult male. Mr. Rashkind. He often heard the man yell, berate the other kids, and had even heard what suspiciously sounded like fists connecting to flesh. But he was always a boy with an overactive imagination, and he couldn't wrap his mind around the unthinkable. His father had always treated him with kindness, even when he had been a naughty boy. So he had convinced himself that the man had a lousy temper, that he verbally took out on the kids under his care. Their other caretaker, a blonde woman in her forties, was a lot nicer, but very demure. She had no backbone and if she noticed Rashkind ever getting out of hand, she would drop her eyes, avert the situation and said nothing. Pinocchio wasn't sure which was worse. The sounds of a baby crying caught his attention and he rushed over to Emma, making sure no adults or kids were using her to escape their own anger over their helpless situation. Once he saw Emma alone in the crib and in the room, he breathed a sigh of relief, and then headed over to where Emma lay._

  
_"Shhh...Shhh. Don't cry Emma. Look at me. Watch this." He began to blow raspberries and then made a funny face, as he puffed out his cheeks. Pretending to dive under the crib, he relaxed when he heard that Emma's crying ceased. That was when he had noticed that the latch was broken and the crib was not in the best of shape. He couldn't do anything with the legs of the crib unless he had the tools and spare wood to outright replace them. But they would last a while longer. It was the latch he had been worried about. If Emma rolled up against it, there was a chance she could open the side and roll right out._

  
_He peered at her, so she would know that he hadn't disappeared on her. "There. That's better, right?"_

  
_At her small smile, he felt a warmth, knowing he had made the small infant happy. He crouched down beside the crib, his eyes looking nervously around, before he opened the toolbox. He was looking at what he had to work with, when he heard the flat footed boots stomp into the room._

  
_"Do those tools belong to you?" There was an anger rising up, already in his tone of voice._

  
_Swallowing down a lump of fear, Pinocchio put some space between him and the toolbox. "I...I uh was just trying to fix the crib. I didn't want Emma to fall out and get hurt."_

  
_The disgruntled man had grabbed him by his upper arm, ignoring the flinch from the boy. "Don't ever touch anything in this house again. Nothing belongs to you."_

  
_He winced, feeling the burn of his arm, but he was too scared to comment on how he was holding him too tightly. "Yes, Mr. Rashkind."_

  
_The obedience and respect had pleased him, so he let Pinocchio go, was quick to put his tools away, and then left without another word. Pinocchio stood there, shocked, but gazed at Emma, telling himself why he was dealing with everything. He rubbed at his arm, missing his father more and more._

  
_"Hey, you okay?" Another voice called softly. He nodded at the other kid, but didn't trust himself to speak. "Can you keep a secret?"_

  
_Slowly, he moved away from Emma, and then finally looked at the older kid. After another nod, he had pulled out a wad of cash from his pocket._

  
_"Wow. Where did you get that?"_

  
_"Stole it from the sock drawer." He spoke proudly. "It's enough to buy us all bus tickets out of here."_

  
_Hope stung in his heart, almost as painful as defeat, and he thought maybe with this kid's help, he'd never have to worry about Rashkind again. "You're leaving? When?"_

  
_"Right now. You wanna come?"_

  
_Pinocchio wanted to go, badly, but his eyes drifted over to Emma. He couldn't just leave her, could he? He had promised his father after all. "I told my father I'd take care of Emma. Can she come? Please?"_

  
_The kid scoffed, "We can't take care of a baby. You want to stay here for the rest of your life? Be my guest."_

  
_When he saw his only escape begin to leave him behind, his would be life living in fear of Rashkind flashed before his life. He had no idea what would come after the bus ticket, and he didn't ask. All he knew was that he didn't want to live with a man like Rashkind. "Wait!"_

  
_Guilt began to settle into the pit of his stomach when he walked over to the crib. He had promised his father, but it had been months, and it felt like a lifetime ago, already. As though none of that had even been real. "I'm sorry, Emma."_

  
_There was no way either adult would harm a baby. He had to believe Emma would be better with two adults knowing how to take care of a baby, then with him, on the streets and on the run. He kissed his fingers, and placed them on Emma's forehead. Her innocent eyes and lopsided grin were too much, and he turned away before he started tearing up._

* * *

Emma had agreed to let August continue his story, and even allowed him to drive her away from the diner, into yet another location he had remained tight-lipped on. However, now that they were trekking through the woods, she had to speak up.

  
"Why are we in the woods?"

  
"All the answers you've been searching for are right where I found you."

  
Catching the first crack in his story, she pointed. "See, you're not that seven year old boy. I wasn't found in the woods. I was found on the side of a highway."

  
"Why do you think that? Because you read it in the newspaper? Did it ever occur to you that maybe that seven year old boy lied about where he found you?"

  
"No. But it occurs to me that you've been lying to me about everything. And I'm done listening." She made up her mind to walk back into town, since they were on the outskirts.

  
Knowing he didn't have much time left, and that he was losing her, he decided to give her proof. "When I found you, you were wrapped in a blanket. And the name "Emma" was embroidered along the bottom of it." Once he knew he had her attention again, he finished. "That wasn't in the article, was it? How would I know that, unless I was there?"

  
"Okay. Let's say you were that kid. Why lie about where you found me?"

  
"I lied to protect you."

  
She still wasn't buying anything coming out of his mouth. "From what?"

  
The tree that he and Emma had crossed over into this land was just behind him. Even though it had been years, and it was evening and dark out, August would always remember that tree. So he pointed at it. "That."

  
"A tree?" All she had been through, and he had led her to a tree. She should have stuck with Gold and tried harder to convince him to help her. Hell, even making another deal with him would have been preferable to this wild goose chase.

  
"You've read Henry's book, right?" August tried to change directions, since she didn't recognize the tree like he had. At her scoff, he cringed slightly. "You know about the curse. Your role in it. It's true Emma. We both came into this world through this tree."

  
Ignoring how crazy traveling through a tree sounded, she fixated on the book. "You're asking me to believe that you are a fairy tale character?"

  
August gave a dashing smile, "Pinocchio."

  
She nodded her head, though it was clear she still didn't believe him. "Right, of course, Pinocchio. Explains all the lying." She paused before she realized that he had engineered this whole thing. From the disappearance of the book, to the meeting she had with Henry that morning at Granny's. "You're the one that added the story to Henry's book."

  
He shrugged. "I needed you to know the truth."

  
She shook her head, in absolute shock. "The truth is you're out of your mind. And you're not even a very good liar." Emma knew it wasn't a good idea to continue indulging his delusions, but she had viewed him as a friend and she was curious. And curiosity won out. "Why not write the end to that story?"

  
He gestured around. "Because this is the ending. And we're writing it write now."

  
She should have guessed it would have been something crazy. "And how does this story end?"

  
"With you believing."

  
"Not gonna happen." Then she walked away. It was one thing to trick her, and lie to her, but he had involved Henry and played into Henry's delusions. He had messed with her son and any progress she had started to make with him had been completely undone by August.

  
"Emma!" August chased after her. "Emma, wait!" But his leg had flared up, the pain shot outwards and he fell to the ground groaning in agony. As soon as he opened his eyes, Emma was standing over him, but he couldn't tell if she was pissed with him or concerned.

  
"What is wrong with your leg?"

  
In the simplest terms that she might understand, "I failed. I failed you."

  
"What are you talking about?"

  
"It doesn't matter. You don't believe me."

  
"If you think that by making me feel sorry for you that something is gonna change, you are wrong."

  
August gritted his teeth. "I'm not screwing around here." He struggled, but managed to get back up on both feet. "Whatever you believe or don't, this is real Emma. I am sick."

  
"That's an understatement."

  
"You ever been to Phuket? It's beautiful. Amazing island. Full of pleasure's; the perfect place to lose oneself. That's where I was, when you decided to stay in Storybrooke."

  
"How'd you know when I decided to stay in Storybrooke? Did Henry tell you?"

  
"No. It's because at 8:15 in the morning, I woke up with a shooting pain in my leg. That's 8:15 at night in Storybrooke. Sound familiar? That's when time there started to move forward again. I was supposed to be there for you, and I wasn't. I failed you, all because I was halfway around the world. I had gotten quite the painful reminder of just how far I had strayed." Sitting down on the tree branch behind him, he was able to put the weight off of his wooden leg. "If that tree won't make you believe, maybe this will."

  
Emma watched him pull his pant leg up, and she uncomfortably stared at it. Not as hairy of a leg as she suspected, but it had seemed perfectly fine, perfectly normal. "How does that prove anything?"

  
"Look."

  
"August. I'm looking."

  
"You don't see it, do you?"

  
"See what?"

  
He just about whistled. "Your denial is more powerful than I thought. It's preventing you from seeing the truth."

  
She had had enough. This farce had gone on too long. "Okay, one of us is losing it here. And it's not me."

  
Frustration bubbled to the surface, and August's tone had raised. "You don't want to believe. After everything you've seen, why can't you just do it?"

  
"Why is it so important to you that I do?" Why couldn't she just leave him alone? Why did she continue to entertain his craziness?

  
"Because I, the town, everyone needs you."

  
She was near shouting now. "I don't want them to need me."

  
"Well that's too bad." August finally deflated. "Because we all do."

  
"You're saying that I am responsible for everyone's happiness? That is crap. I didn't ask for that. I don't want it."

  
"Right now. A little while ago you didn't want Henry either. But then he came to you and now you are fighting like hell for him."

  
"For him!" Emma yelled out in frustration. Angry tears threatening to fall from her eyes. "Because that is all I can handle right now. And I'm not even doing a good job at that. Now you're telling me I have to save everyone? That is beyond ridiculous. I don't want any of it."

  
August raised his eyebrows. "Well that's too bad, Emma. Because that doesn't change the truth. You're our only hope."

  
"Then you're all screwed." Emma turned abruptly. Her emotions running high. She had gotten nowhere with August, and was back to square one. She had only wasted a day, but it was clear things were bad at the town. The walls were caving in on her and she had to see Henry.

* * *

_The shouts came swiftly, and a blonde girl stood just outside the door frame. Her shoulders were hunched and she clutched the backpack, full of her clothes, as she kept herself out of their sight. The thud as the refrigerator was slammed, had made her jump. The sobbing came next, and she started breathing harder, fear gripping her in place._

  
_"Please. Please. I'll be good. Just a little bite. I'm so hungry."_

  
_"Bad boys don't get dinner." A daunting male voice boomed. It was the voice that haunted the blonde's nights and kept her silent and scared during the day. "If I catch you in the kitchen again, you will regret it."_

  
_The boy whimpered, as he scurried out of the kitchen and turned the corner. He nearly ran into the blonde and gasped in surprise. "Emma?!"_

  
_She grabbed him around his shoulders, the backpack now slung around hers, her mind made up. "Johnny."_

  
_Hearing the man stalking nearby, she pulled him through the hall and into the Livingroom. "I'm leaving, tonight."_

  
_Johnny had a bruises on his arms, and a cut lip. His big brown eyes teared up and he nodded his head. "I...I understand."_

  
_Emma hadn't been the first teenager to run away from the home, and Johnny knew she wouldn't be the last one. Once Johnny was a little older, he was determined to run too. He was barely ten years old, and didn't know the first thing about surviving on his own. She was nervous, paranoid, and kept her voice low. "Do you want to get away from him? Do you want to come with me?"_

  
_Tears fell down his face and he nodded his head. "Yes. More than anything."_

  
_"Go. Pack a bag, but be quick. Mr. Clarke will be checking the bedrooms soon."_

  
_He wiped away at his tears, with the back of his hand, and rushed out of the room and took to the flight of stairs._

* * *

Henry snuggled up in bed, clutching his pillow. He had just been about to drift off to sleep, when the walkie kicked on, and the voice of his mother roused him from his drowsiness.

  
"Code red, Code red. Henry?"

  
He was quick to reach for his walkie, "What's wrong?"

  
"I need to talk to you."

  
"About Operation Cobra?"

  
"No about us. Meet me downstairs."

  
A smile found its way onto his face, and rearranged his pillows, turned on his flashlight, then grabbed his coat. He was quiet when he went down the stairs and left out of the front door. Sneaking out, without alerting his mother, Regina, was becoming second nature to him. He caught sight of Emma standing next to her car and he picked up his pace.

  
"If my mom sees me out here talking to you, she'll get really mad."

  
Emma nodded to her car, and they both climbed in. Once she buckled up, and turned on the car, she got serious. "Henry, I need to ask you something very important. Do you want to get away from Regina? Do you want to come live with me?"

  
"More then anything." Henry's face had completely lit up.

  
That had struck a nerve, and had reminded her of another ten year old boy she had tried to help when she was younger. And for a split second, she had almost seen Johnny sitting there in her car. Shaking her head of those thoughts, she gave Henry a nod. Henry was her son, and she was going to do whatever she could to save him from an impossible situation. Running had always helped her in the past and it was all she knew. "Okay, then buckle up, all right?"

  
"Why?" He had asked, as he was already reaching for his seat belt. "Where are we going?"

  
"We're leaving Storybrooke." She spoke ominously, as she put her car into drive and the yellow bug headed down the street.

* * *

_Johnny came down the stairs a bag in his loose fingers, with some of his clothes haphazardly out of the bag, though nothing fell. It had been done in a rush and he was eager to get out of there. He couldn't leave on his own, but having someone he knew and someone he trusted with him, he felt brave for the first time since he came to live in that foster home. He bounded down the stairs, making too much noise in his haste, and yelped when he was grabbed by the nape of the neck as soon as he hit the landing._

  
_"Let me go."_

  
_"And where do you think you're going this late at night?" Mr. Clarke sneered in his face._

  
_The scream of Johnny had gotten Emma's attention, and she jumped to her feet, and rounded the corner just to see the man drop Johnny to the ground, taking the bag from him as clothes were strewn around the floor. She covered her mouth with her hand, gasping in shock._

  
_"Emma!" Johnny pled._

  
_That was when Mr. Clarke's eyes landed on her and she began to shiver under his gaze. Her feet were already backing up as she saw the open window off to the side._

  
_"Please. Emma, you can't go. Please."_

  
_Shaking her head in deep regret, Emma blurted out an apology as she took off at a run. She heard Mr. Clarke chasing behind her, and but she managed to be more agile, being smaller, skinnier and more in shape. She jumped out of the window, happy to be in a one level house and rolling out of the garden bed below, she got onto her feet and ran as far as she could. Clarke hadn't jumped out of the window after her, but she couldn't bare to look back. Knowing exactly what she had left Johnny to. She had failed him. He had relied on her, and she couldn't help him._

* * *

Henry had confused eyes, while his head whipped from side to side. "Is that all your stuff?"

  
"All I need." Emma was determined and she kept her eyes on the road. She had failed someone in her past and had never had anyone rely on her since then, not for anything really important. She was not going to fail Henry.

  
"Wait." It finally dawned on him. "You wanna go now? We're leaving now?"

  
"Uh huh. I'm getting you out of here. Away from all this. Away from her."

  
"No no. Stop the car! You can't leave Storybrooke. You have to break the curse."

  
"No I don't. I have to help you." Her words were short and to the point.

  
That hadn't worked, so he begged. "Please. Emma, you can't go. Please."

  
Her grip on the steering wheel tightened and she started to go faster. Henry was alarmed and cried out in a last ditch effort. "You're....you're a hero! You can't run. Heroes never run. You have to help everybody."

  
She frowned slightly. "Henry. I know it's hard for you to see it, but I'm doing what's best for you. That's what you wanted when you found me all those months ago and brought me to Storybrooke."

  
"But the curse..." He had felt defeated already. "You're the only chance to bring back the happy endings."

  
"Henry..." Had come out in a whine.

  
The sign stating 'You are now leaving Storybrooke' was now in view and Henry had to think quickly. Reaching out, he grabbed at the steering wheel, and only Emma's reaction time, kept them relatively safe. They had gone off the road, before Emma managed to slam on the brakes.

  
"Henry!" Emma shouted. "Henry. What were you doing?" You could have gotten us killed."

  
"Please." Henry felt desperate. "Please don't make me go. We can't go! Everything is here. Me, your parents, your family. Please, Emma. They need you. Your family needs you."

  
This made her speechless and she stared at Henry for a long minute. She had almost become a fugitive and almost forced her ten year son on the run. In her bid to fix things, she realized she had nearly made another huge mistake. "You're....you're right."

**Author's Note:**

> This is intended to be a long, multi-chapter story, and is one I have every intention of finishing, since I do have ideas going all the way to season 5. ^^ But as it is going to stick closely to Canon, it does take a while to get the dialogue scenes and the structures, and then merging our changes into the story. But I hope this story catches your interest and you stick with it.
> 
> The Characters listed are only characters I have written in the story. There will be more, probably all of those in the show will make an appearance at some point. But I've left out the characters not in these next three chapters, even if I mention them, unless they are physically in the chapter(s)/have a line. The Prologue is only involving season 1; which is why only Charming/Snow and Rumple/Belle are the current couples.
> 
> If you have any plot holes that just bugged you about the show, let me know, if I can get around to addressing it, I will. This is just a story me and a few friends had to Collab on to try and address some things. You're about to enter our Universe of Once; please be respectful. Constructive Criticism and feedback is always appreciated.


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